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Concentration Interruptus

In case there is any doubt, I love my wife. She is the best thing that ever happened to me. And, of course, the result of our marriage is our two wonderful children. I felt I needed to clarify this point, because I am often asked how she tolerates my antics and that I write about her and put it in front of hundreds of thousands of readers every week.

Obviously, she has a great sense of humor and also a great capacity for my stupidity. I’m not the easiest guy in the world to live with, but I’m not the worst either. I don’t know if that justifies things, but what I do know is that my life wouldn’t be anything without her. OK, having said all that, I can now bring up a pet peeve of mine.

In my last column I wrote about my favorite TV show. I don’t know about you, but when I’m watching something on television, I’m really into it and don’t like to be distracted. I’ve been that way my entire married life, and yet to this day my wife doesn’t seem to get that.

The other night I was intently watching something on television. My eyes were riveted to the screen like two heat-seeking missiles. My wife walked past me right in front of the screen. She cleared my vision but then suddenly doubled back and stood right in front of me, blocking my line of sight.

Oblivious to my intense concentration on the TV, she started to converse, “Do you know what happened to me at work today?” And then she launched into a full detailed description of an incident. The only thing I could think of was why she thought anything I was watching was so insignificant that she could interrupt it and garner my complete attention on demand.

Having been married for 25 years, I know better than to tell her to move or to interrupt her. She finished her diatribe and coyly remarked, “Oh, you’re watching TV? Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you.” Of course by then the key part of the show I was watching was now but a signal in outer space.

I guess in marriage you have to take the good with the bad. In this case, I think it explains why God created reruns.